2010 Motorcycle Season set to kick off

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chad Duprey
  • 66th Air Base Wing Safety Office
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The 66th Air Base Wing Safety Office will be hosting a pre-season motorcycle safety briefing at 1 p.m. on March 30, in the Base Theater. This briefing will feature speakers from local riding clubs the Green Knights and the Patriot Guard Riders.

This is a mandatory briefing for all Hanscom military personnel who operate or intend to operate a motorcycle on or off base; civilians and contractors are welcome and encouraged to attend.

While fun and economical, motorcycles can be dangerous for the inexperienced or careless rider. Unfortunately, Air Force Materiel Command has already had one motorcycle fatality this season, with a total of two Air Force-wide.

To help reduce the risks inherent in motorcycle operation, military members must wear required protective equipment. The safety briefing will include any necessary clarifications regarding Hanscom riders' personal protective equipment and training requirements.

In addition to the briefing, Air Force Instruction 91-207, the U.S. Air Force Traffic Safety Program, requires all Air Force personnel to attend an approved Motorcycle Safety Foundation course prior to operating a motorcycle on or off duty, and regardless of the member's decision to ride the motorcycle on a military installation. Air Force civilian personnel operating a motorcycle while on duty must also attend or have attended an approved MSF course, regardless of the member's decision to ride the motorcycle on a Department of Defense installation.

All AFMC military personnel who are 26 years old and under are required to complete a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, or equivalent, every three years.

There are two types of courses offered, the basic rider course and an experienced rider course.

Course Schedule Info:

There is no set schedule for the basic rider's course. Any military member or DoD civilian assigned to or residing on Hanscom is eligible to receive a voucher to attend a contractor's course.

There are six experienced rider's courses scheduled for this year. The courses take place on May 20, June 10, July 8, Aug. 12, Sept. 9 and Oct. 14. The classroom portion of the class will be in the Equal Opportunity Office classroom in building 1217. Attendees should be in place no later than 7:50 a.m. Classes run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The riding portion of the class is held in the parking lot behind the 66th Medical Group.

There are a limited number of training slots available and classes will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis according to the following priority:

Priority 1: Military members assigned to or residing on Hanscom Air Force Base.
Priority 2: DoD civilians assigned to or residing on Hanscom.
Priority 3: All other military members.
Priority 4: All other DoD civilians.
Priority 5: Retirees and dependents.
Priority 6: Contractors working on Hanscom.

Participants must bring their own motorcycle and helmet for the experienced rider's course. Motorcycles will have to pass a cursory safety inspection by the instructor before the skills portion of the course.
To sign up for the safety courses, send an application request via e-mail to 66.abw.se.cmb@hanscom.af.mil. For more information call the Safety Office at (781) 377-5135.